Father and daughter face drug charges

Police discover marijuana plants at librarian’s home

Friday, April 27, 2007

Click here to enlarge this photo In an undated photo from Westlake High School’s Web site, George Miller is shown shelving books in the library. Miller has been placed on paid administrative leave following his arrest. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

George Frederick Miller, a librarian at Westlake High School, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana after Charles County sheriff’s officers found 11 marijuana plants growing in Miller’s home on Patuxent Court, police said.

Miller was placed on paid administrative leave following the arrest.

In addition to the intent-to-distribute charge, Miller, 48, was charged with possession of marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana production materials.

The sheriff’s community policing unit was made aware of drug activity at Miller’s home and launched an investigation.

As a result, a search warrant was issued and executed at 6:45 a.m. April 26 for the home on Patuxent Court.

Once there, officers found the marijuana — varying in height from 3 to 4 feet — growing in planting pots in the basement of the house, police said.

In addition to the plants at Miller’s home — which police estimate have a value of $2,200 per plant — growing equipment, a scale, pipes and other drug paraphernalia were seized, according to police.

According to charging documents, after being advised of his Miranda rights, Miller told police his daughter, Maysa, 19, did most of the growing of the plants.

Miller also stated that he grows marijuana for his personal use and for his family and friends.

Maysa Miller was also charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana production materials, according to police.

After being advised of her rights, she told police she went to her parents and convinced them to let her grow marijuana and that she and her father first started growing it in June 2006.

According to court documents, Maysa Miller told officers that it was ‘‘the best marijuana you could get around here.”

Further, officers said they found a pill of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax in Maysa Miller’s bedroom. Police said the woman did not have a prescription for the medication and charged her with possession of Xanax.

George Miller was hired by the school system in 1984, starting his career as a language arts teacher at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, said Katie O’Malley-Simpson, spokeswoman for Charles County schools.

In 2001, he took a position as an English teacher at Westlake before becoming the media specialist, or librarian, at the high school in 2005, O’Malley-Simpson said.

Although he has been placed on paid leave for the time being, O’Malley-Simpson said the school system will have an option of changing that status.

Maysa Miller and George Miller were held at the Charles County Detention Center in La Plata, pending appearances before the district court commissioner.

La Plata man bustedfor drugs

In a separate investigation, police on Thursday also arrested a 33-year-old self-employed man in the floor and carpet business after seizing cocaine with an estimated street value of $500, marijuana, OxyContin, drug paraphernalia and more than $4,000 in cash at a home on Little Creek Court in La Plata.

James William Calomeris was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine, obtaining a controlled dangerous substance by fraud, possession of OxyContin, possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Calomeris was held at the detention center pending an appearance before the district court commissioner.

E-mail Sara K. Taylor at staylor@somdnews.com.